This particular sunset caught Tom's eye one evening when I was gone. It was the first time he had ever seen golden corduroy in the sky. Quite a spectacle, isn't it?
One day we were headed west on I-10 toward Quartzite, AZ to visit friends. We were surprised by an 18-wheeler who honked as he passed us up. We looked up and were so excited when we realized it was our nephew, Bryan Seliskar, in his beautiful Western Star truck. We turned on our CB and made arrangements to stop for a quick visit at a nearby truck stop. It was so fun to see him and catch up on things. It made our day (and his, too, I think).
McDowell Mtn Park was a wonderful place to hike and bike. Several trails were accessible right from the campground, so we took advantage of them. Each sunrise and sunset became a much anticipated event as the colors of the universe spilled across the sky. Even the dark clouds that rolled through occasionally provided light shows as they rearranged themselves.
The campground was very nicely laid out with large, paved sites complete with water and electric hookups. The sites were placed far apart and beautifully maintained. Unfortunately a fire had roared through the desert a few years ago and killed much of the vegetation including many of the saguaros. The trails near the picnic area were in an unburned area, and the desert vegetation was thriving there.
One of the highlights of this park for us was the wildlife. Several Harris's hawks made their homes in this area. Spotting them perched on top the saguaro was common. One night about 3 am we even had an owl land on top of our bedroom. For the first two or three minutes is was charming to be serenaded by his "Whoo, Whooo, Whoooo"-ing, but it didn't take long for it to cross the fine line from charming to annoying. A knock on the ceiling sent him hooting on his way.
Every day we saw jack rabbits, cotton tails, and lots of coyotes. We could hear the coyotes singing and yipping at all hours of the day and night. During our early morning walks, we saw wild javelina (like wild pigs) munching on the prickly pear cactus. Tom even saw mule deer a couple of mornings. We have a hard time imagining what they eat here in the desert, but they must manage.
Speaking of wildlife...One of Tom's favorite activities when we were parked in this area was to go out with our friends, Bill and Donna, to hear Carvin Jones play. Carvin is a fantastic guitarist whose style is reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. Tom even talked me into going along one night. (It's not my style of music, but I sure could appreciate Carvin's talent!) Carvin can play a guitar in almost any position including behind his back, behind his head and between his legs. He can also play with his feet, his teeth or a beer bottle. But the topper was when he strapped on two guitars and managed to play them both at once!!
One weekend we took a roadtrip to the Mogollon Rim between Payson and Show Low, AZ. The terrain changes completely from desert to alpine, mountainous terrain. The views were absolutely breathtaking.
On our return trip from Show Low, we drove back south through Globe and saw more mining country. Then we headed over to Theodore Roosevelt Lake, hiked at Tonto National Monument, and bounced our way over the narrow, curvy, rough Apache Trail through more beautiful country.
While in the Phoenix area we had a chance to get together with several friends. It was wonderful to have time with all of these special people (This means you: Lyn & Ray, Norma & Charlie, Jim & Paula, Bill & Donna, Don & Bernie!) Several of them are people we had met on the road during our travels, and it was wonderful to reconnect. One of the most precious things in our lives are our wonderful friends, so please keep in touch.
